15 Traditional Foods You Can't Leave Honduras Without Trying

Your guide to drinking and dining like a full-blown "catracho".

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Honduras is the land of beautiful beaches, passionate soccer fans, tropical weather, calor Latino (Latin hospitality), and great food. Having been born and raised in the beautiful and tropical Honduras, I can proudly say I know all the best Honduran foods that everyone should try at least once in their life. Being away from home has made me appreciate traditional Honduran food a thousand times more, especially since I'm several countries away.

Honduran cuisine is heavily based on beans, corn, and plantains. Additionally, Honduras is widely known around the world for exporting bananas and coffee. What's there not to love? If you ever find yourself visiting the tropical Honduras in the heart of Central America, this list of foods will show you the best and most unique aspects of Honduran cuisine.

The Honduran baleadas are by far the number one food you cannot leave Honduras without trying. Baleadas are a classic favorite that never get old, and will have you begging for more. They are made up of refried beans, mantequilla (Honduran-style sour cream), cheese, avocado, scrambled eggs, and on some occasions chorizo or steak, all folded into handmade flour tortillas.

2. Tamales

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Honduran tamales, aka nacatamales, are composed of a dough made out of corn and are filled with chicken, pork, or beans. They are shaped and wrapped in plantain leaves. In Honduras, there is no Christmas without authentic nacatamales, but they are also good for any time or meal of the day—one of the most traditional Honduran foods.

3. Plato Típico

Breakfast

The plato típico or typical plate in Honduras pretty much encompasses all of the foods that are locally grown in the area. The typical breakfast consists of a fried egg, refried beans, corn tortillas, cheese, and fried plantains, plus a glass of orange juice and a cup of coffee on the side.

Lunch or Dinner

For lunch or dinner, the typical plate is made up of steak, chorizo, refried beans, rice, avocado, cheese, pico de gallo, mantequilla, corn tortillas, and fried plantains. Anywhere you go that offers traditional Honduran food, you can’t go wrong by ordering a plato típico and pairing it with a Corona. You will get a taste of what Honduran cuisine is all about.

4. Pupusas

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Ooey, gooey, and doughy. If that doesn’t sound like something worth trying, let me go on to tell you that essentially a pupusa is cheese melted inside a thick, doughy tortilla. Pupusas were born in El Salvador, but are a very popular and favorite plate all around Central America. They can be stuffed with quesillo (a type of cheese that is very easy to melt), beans, pork, or all three together. Top them with pickled onions and a curtido spicy cole slaw, and dig in.

5. Yucca with Pork

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Yucca con chicharrón or yucca with pork, is another traditional Honduran dish. The yucca is the base of the dish, and it is only boiled and lightly salted. Then, a curtido pickled cole slaw is added on top as well as some tomato sauce and sometimes even cheese. Finally, the dish is topped with thick slices of pork.

6. Macheteadas

The smell of macheteadas (basically a fried pancake) lingers in the air and overflows my house, causing me to wake up in the morning eager to eat breakfast. When I was younger, my brothers and I begged my mom to make macheteadas for breakfast every Sunday. Soon, it became a tradition that would never get old. Even my best friend asks for macheteadas for breakfast when she sleeps over at my house. Macheteada Sundays will forever be engraved in my childhood memories, and trust me, it’s a tradition that will continue for generations to come.

7. Horchata

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Horchata is a very popular beverage in several Latin American countries, and each country has its unique way of preparing it. In Honduras, however, horchata is made out of ground rice and lots of spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. It is best served over ice and enjoyed year-round.

8. Choripan

Choripan is essentially, as the name itself describes it, pan (bread, usually baguette) with a chorizo in between. It’s popular in South American countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Chile. Choripanes are mostly filled with chimichurri sauce, a sauce made up of cilantro, parsley, and oregano.

9. Atol de Elote

For the ancient Mayans, corn was considered a sacred food. Thanks to their devotion to corn, Latin American countries can now enjoy the ancestral drink that is atol de elote, a sweetened, thick, pureed corn beverage finished off with cinnamon and vanilla. The Mayans enjoyed it as a warm drink, but now we can also enjoy it as a bowl for breakfast, and even served cold as a dessert.

10. Anafre de Frijoles (Beans on a Furnace)

The ultimate appetizer, with a rustic flare. Refried red beans, cheese, and sometimes even chorizo served with fresh tortilla chips are all placed in a furnace made out of clay. The cheese melts and the beans boil, making the perfect dip and the best starter.

11. Semitas & Rosquillas

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These pastries pair perfectly with a cup of fresh brewed coffee for breakfast or for an afternoon pick-me-up, also known as the 4 PM “cafecito” or coffee break. It’s hard to stop at just one once you get your hands on these sweets.

The semita or semita de yema is a sweet bread that drives Hondurans mad, and the rosquilla is a slightly savory corn cookie shaped like a donut.

12. Sopa de Caracol (Seafood Soup)

A creamy and tasty soup that is as tropical as it gets. Sopa de caracol is a specialty of the Caribbean coast of Honduras. It takes flavors like coconut milk, ginger, and cilantro to create a succulent soup that should be at the top of your foodie bucket list (‘cause we all have one).

13. Catrachas

Simple, yet extremely satisfying. Catrachas, or in other words, “Hondurans” (since the word catracho is another way of identifying someone of Honduran heritage) are an authentic combination of basic Honduran flavors. They are easily prepared and basically at everyone’s reach. All you need to prepare catrachas are crunchy tortillas, refried beans, and queso fresco. Sometimes, catrachas are topped with avocado or red sauce to add flavor and spice.

14. Pilones

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Pilones are essentially the Honduran version of popsicles. From coconut to green mango to coffee, creativity is an understatement with the long list of flavors that are created every single day in the hottest regions of Honduras. These natural fruit juices are sometimes put into plastic bags and frozen, and are also known as “charamuscas.”

15. Arroz Con Leche (Rice Pudding)

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Last but not least, arroz con leche, also known as rice pudding, is a classic dessert all around the world. In Honduras, however, it is often prepared in a giant casserole and meant to be enjoyed by a large crowd, family, friends, or simply members of the community. Topped with cinnamon and cloves, this dessert is a favorite that will never get old.

Honduran cuisine encompasses bits and pieces of pre-hispanic, African, Spanish, and even creole tastes and culinary elements. If beautiful beaches and Latin hospitality aren’t good enough reasons to convince you to visit Honduras, I hope that at least the traditional Honduran food seems as inviting as it is delicious.